Newton workers look for marrow donors for local man

The United Auto Workers union in Newton is trying to help a Newton man who’s fighting a serious illness. In March, 38-year-old Jerry Kendall was diagnosed with an acute form of leukemia. He needs a transplant of bone marrow or blood stem cells, but a search of the national registry’s four-and-a-half million donors failed to turn up a possible donor match. United Auto Workers Local 9-9-7 is holding a bone marrow donor registration drive at their union hall today. Potential donors must be at least 18 but not more than 60 years old and in general good health. Registration amounts to signing a consent form and giving a small blood sample. Kendall hopes the registration drive raises awareness of the need for more donors.